Belt-installing apparatus

ABSTRACT

An apparatus for installing a belt over a pair of spaced apart pulleys, intended particularly for installing belts of thin-gage metal strip on a belt-type continuous casting machine. Apparatus includes a portable rigid frame, a plurality of upper and lower fingers fixed to the frame, and a semicircular pulley-matching head fixed to one end of the frame. Fingers and head support the belt without allowing it to sag and enable it to be manually slipped onto pulleys.

United States Patent Inventor Norris R. Logan Thornton Township, Cook County, 111. 887,471

Dec. 23, 1969 July 20, 1971 United States Steel Corporation Appl. No Filed Patented Assignee BELT-INSTALLING APPARATUS 4 Claims, 5 Drawing Figs.

11.8. C1 74/2425, 29/200, 74/2427 Int.Cl a. F1611 7/08, B23p 19/00 Field of Search 74/2427,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 972,955 10/1910 Walker .1 74/2425 704,203 7/1902 Moorhouse 74/231 M Primary Examiner-Leonard H. Gerin Att0rney*Walter P. Wood ABSTRACT: An apparatus for installing a belt over a pair of spaced apart pulleys, intended particularly for installing belts of thin-gage metal strip on a belt-type continuous casting machine. Apparatus includes a portable rigid frame, a plurali: ty of upper and lower fingers fixed to the frame, and a semicircular pulley-matching head fixed to one end of the frame. F ingers and head support the belt without allowing it to sag and enable it to be manually slipped onto pulleys.

BELT-INSTALLING APPARATUS This invention relates to an improved apparatus for installing a belt over a pair of spaced pulleys.

Although my invention is not thus limited, the apparatus is particularly useful for installing metal belts on a belt-type continuous-casting machine, one example of which is shown in Hazelett Pat. No. 2,904,860. Such machines include top and bottom belts of thin-gage steel strip and respective pairs of spaced-apart pulleys over which the belts run. The belts have opposed water-cooled surfaces which travel in the same direction. Molten metal is poured into the space between these surfaces from one end, and it solidifies as a continuous strip which emerges from the other end. The belts slope downwardly from the pouring end, and the bottom belt is longer than the top belt. The spacing between pulleys can be adjusted, but only by a limited distance, commonly an inch and a half. The belts must be handled carefully and are easily damaged during installation. Any lubricant applied to the belts to facilitate their installation must be removed before the casting operation begins, as the lubricant interferes with the water cooling and hence with solidification of the product.

An object of my invention is to provide an improved belt-installing apparatus which is of simple construction, yet enables a belt to be installed easily and without damage.

A more specific object is to provide an improved belt-installing apparatus which includes a portable frame, a plurality of fingers fixed to the frame, and a pulley-matching head fixed to one end of the frame, whereby a belt can be slipped from the fingers and head onto a pair of pulleys without damage to the belt.

in the Drawing FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a belt-installing apparatus constructed in accordance with my invention positioned alongside a pair of pulleys;

F lG. 2 is a side elevational view of the apparatus;

FIG. 3 is a vertical section on line Ill-lll of FIG. 2;

FlG. 4 is a vertical section on line lVlV of FIG. 2; and

F IG. 5 is an end elevational view from the right on line V-V of F lG. 2.

My belt-installing apparatus includes a metal frame made up of upper and lower longitudinal members and 12, and head end, central and tail end posts l3, l4 and welded together to form a rigid structure. A plurality of upper and lower fingers l6 and 17 are welded to the respective longitudinal members and extend horizontally parallel with one another. Preferably I also weld upper and lower longitudinal braces 18 and 19 to the undersides of the upper and lower fingers 16 and 17 respectively, and diagonal braces 20 between posts l3, l4 and 15 and the upper longitudinal brace 18.

At the head end of the frame I weld an additional angle iron finger 24 to the post 13 near the lower end thereof. Finger 24 is spaced above the endmost lower finger 17 by a distance x to enable a belt B to fit freely therebetween. l weld a sheet metal head 25 of semicircular outline to the endmost upper finger 16 and to the additional finger 24, spanning the space therebetween. The contour of head 25 matches that of a pulley P at the pouring end of the casting machine. The upper edge of head 25 lies slightly below the upper edge of the finger 16 to which it is welded.

l pivot a supporting arm 26-of inverted L-shape to the outside of the central post M. The pivotal connection includes a bolt and nut 27, which l can loosen to adjust the angle between the arm and post or tighten to hold them at the desired angle. Arm 26 carries a clevis 23 at its upper free end adapted to be engaged by a crane hook for transporting and positioning the apparatus. The clevis is located at approximately the point of balance of the apparatus.

in operation, I place a belt B on the apparatus overlying the upper faces of fingers l6 and I7 and the outer face of the head 25. All these faces are smooth, the welds being located at the underfaces of the fingers. Thus the'upper fingers 16 support the upper flight of the belt, and the lower fingers 17 support the lower flight and in each instance prevent the flight from sagging. I may lubricate the surfaces of the fingers and head where the belt contacts them with a water-soluble lubricant which is easily removed from the belt after installation on the casting machine. Alternatively I may coat the fingers and head with a suitable plastic such as Teflon. I pick up the apparatus with the belt thus supported thereon, using a conventional crane hook which engages the clevis 28. I adjust the frame about the bolt 27 so that the upper flight of the belt slopes at the same angle as it slopes in the casting machine. I position the apparatus alongside the casting machine with the head 25 adjacent the pulley P at the pouring end of the machine. I retract the pulley P at the discharge end of the machine, slip the belt manually from the apparatus onto the two pulleys, and remove the apparatus. Thereafter I extend the pulley P to its original position, tightening the belt.

From the foregoing description it is seen that my invention affords a simple apparatus which fully supports a belt to enable it to be installed on a pair of pulleys without damaging the belt. The dimensions of the apparatus are chosen to fit the shorter top belt of any particular machine on which the belt is to be installed. The same apparatus then can be used for the longer bottom belt. Fingers 16 and 17 are spaced not to interfere with parts of the machine, but leave no gap longer than about 3 feet.

I claim:

1. A belt-installing apparatus comprising upper and lower longitudinal members, means connecting said members to form a rigid frame, a plurality of upper fingers extending from said upper member, a plurality of lower fingers extending from said lower member, a semicircular head fixed to said members adjacent one end and having a lower edge spaced above said lower fingers, said head and the upper faces of said fingers being adapted to support a belt with the belt received in the spaces between the lower edge of said head and said lower fingers, and means attached to said frame for transporting and positioning the apparatus and a belt supported thereon.

2. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 in which said connecting means includes head end, central, and tail end posts welded to said longitudinal members.

3. An apparatus as defined in claim 2 in which said transporting and positioning means includes an arm of inverted L- shape pivotally attached to said central post, and a clevis on said arm at approximately the point of balance of the apparatus.

4. An apparatus as defined in claim 2 further comprising an additional finger fixed to said head end post and spaced above the endmost lower finger, said head being fixed to said additional finger. 

1. A belt-installing apparatus comprising upper and lower longitudinal members, means connecting said members to form a rigid frame, a plurality of upper fingers extending from said upper member, a plurality of lower fingers extending from said lower member, a semicircular head fixed to said members adjacent one end and having a lower edge spaced above said lower fingers, said head and the upper faces of said fingers being adapted to support a belt with the belt received in the spaces between the lower edge of said head and said lower fingers, and means attached to said frame for transporting and positioning the apparatus and a belt supported thereon.
 2. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 in which said connecting means includes head end, central, and tail end posts welded to said longitudinal members.
 3. An apparatus as defined in claim 2 in which said transporting and positioning means includes an arm of inverted L-shape pivotally attached to said central post, and a clevis on said arm at approximately the point of balance of the apparatus.
 4. An apparatus as defined in claim 2 further comprising an additional finger fixed to said head end post and spaced above the endmost lower finger, said head being fixed to said additional finger. 